Uwajiwhat: Thai Basil (the less-than-holy kind)

Stems. Leaves. Flowers. In the Asian market, the sea of green can be a tough section of store to navigate. You’ll see some stuff you recognize, and sniff some, too. But some herbs will be new, yet well worth exploring.

One of our favorites – something that first drew us to Thai cooking – is Thai basil. This is not the basil you use to make pesto. Thai basil, with its lush green leaves and purplish stems and flower buds, has a stronger aroma and taste, reminiscent of licorice or anise. (Don’t confuse it with Holy basil, also used in Thai cooking, which has smaller, “hairy” leaves and more of a spicy, clove-like flavor.)

In Thailand’s restaurants, Thai basil often appears with other herbs on a vegetable platter to be eaten raw with other dishes. For cooking, we like to throw a large number of leaves into our curries and stir fries, as Thai basil goes well with seafood, chicken, and long beans. Be sure to toss in the flower buds as well for a nice floral effect. Lately, we’ve been adding a few leaves inside rice wrappers when making fresh spring rolls.

What intrigues us most is something called Thai basil seed drink. We’ve yet to find it at any stores (any leads, anyone?), but you can make it if you buy the seeds, available at Amazon and elsewhere on the Internet. Add them to a sugar, water and honey mixture, and we’re told the seeds “expand like tadpoles” and soften to a texture akin to watermelon. Sound good?